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The Development of America’s Armed Society

jay

New Member
Nov 20, 2018
12
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Here are my thoughts on this. Hope you like it. Please tell me your thoughts.

When it comes to guns, America is a leader – and they are not afraid to hide it. Let alone the fact that every shooter movie is placed in America, real people are also gun owners in there. American citizens own about 40% of the world’s guns – which it is quite a high number, as you might notice.

They say that there is a gun for every American – but in fact, just one out of three Americans own a gun so far. However, the numbers have been drastically increasing over time, as more and more citizens have been buying and carrying guns.

Gun Ownership Throughout Time

In the past, it was very easy to get a permit for a gun – or even a gun, without a permit. Barack Obama tried to apply some measures to control gun ownership – and make things safer – but the armed society still got what they wanted.

In 1791, the U.S. adopted the Second Amendment, where it was specified that the right to bear arms should not be infringed. After that, in 1868, they went through with the Fourteenth Amendment – where it was expressed that every citizen should be given basic rights.

Therefore, as long as you passed certain tests and qualifications, you were allowed to be in possession of a gun. Furthermore, in 2008 and 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the motion that an individual should be able to hold a gun for self-defense.
Still, why did Americans buy guns in the past? Well, in truth, not many citizens bought guns before the year 2000 – and those who bought the guns did it because they had mischief in mind. The guns were used in cartels, gang wars – and would otherwise fuel street violence.

This is why, in 1993, there were 7 gun-related murders for every 100,000 U.S. citizen. Violence was blooming – particularly in the rural area and in towns with low economy and high crime. Mass shootings were also less frequent – but private homicide by gun was still a common occurrence within the society.

More Guns, Less Violence

Gun ownership is fairly easy to come by nowadays – and it will likely become easier in the future. There were attempts to limit the traffic in the past decade, but America’s new president is making them less difficult to obtain.

One may think that this is a bad thing – but is it, really? When U.S. citizens bought guns in the past, they likely did it with the intention of attacking someone. From the moment they chose the gun, it is very possible that they had murder in mind.

Nowadays, the purpose is to protect rather than to attack. The mentality of the American gun owner has changed – which is why the homicide-by-gun rate has dropped by 50% in the last few years.

Certain types of mass shooting are still fairly common – and some of them are actually even more frequent than before. However, what’s undeniable is the fact that America has become a more peaceful place, with less violence.

This decline in violence is certainly unexpected, but it is believed that the police force and the psychological tests are what made things safer. Plus, considering that guns are the means of protection and survival, they would be much safer against potential attackers.

While you can own a gun very easily, it still does not mean that it will be given to you right away. You will have to go through several tests to ensure that you have the necessary psyche to hold a gun.

Who Can Own a Gun in the American Society?

In all honesty, almost everyone is allowed to have ownership over a gun – particularly since the second amendment went through. Granted, in the past, the requirements to buy a gun were a lot stricter – but they have eased up throughout time.

Basically, nowadays, the federal law states that you have to be at least 21 years old if you want to purchase a gun from a licensed dealer. Interestingly, in most places, you can be only 18 years old to buy a long gun – namely, a rifle or a shotgun.

The reason is that hunting game has become a more and more frequent “family sport.” Fathers take their sons on a hunt with them – and most of them are around that age. Granted, some states may still require permission from the parents – but most of the time, you can get a weapon without consent from them.

In states such as Vermont, Minnesota, and Maine, you can be even younger when purchasing a long gun. You can be as young as 14 years old (in some cases, the limit is 16), and require no parental consent for purchasing a long gun. The only two states that have a 21-year-old age restriction are Hawaii and Illinois – and you can’t usually buy a long gun as a teenager, even if you do have parental consent.

Still, not everyone over 21 years old is given a gun. There are some exceptions, such as people who are fugitives or have been deemed as a danger to themselves and the society. No matter if they have been in jail or previously committed in a mental care institution, their right to bear arms may be refused.

Final Thoughts

America’s armed society came a long way over time. It started off with a need to own a gun for dominance and power – and it ended with the need to own a gun for protection.

Before, gun ownership led to a fair amount of violence within the American society. However, as the focus has shifted from “power” to “survival,” the violence has become a less frequent occurrence.

More people own guns today compared to the past decades – or even centuries. However, the violence rate has also dropped – which means that America’s armed society of today has figured out a better weapon management. Before, it was “shoot first, ask questions later;” now it is the other way around. Plus, people are being more conscious of their surroundings, because you never know who may have a gun.